TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- →Greece HNWI regime: flat €100,000/year tax on all foreign-source income for up to 15 years.
- →Qualifying condition: must not have been Greek tax resident for 7 of the prior 8 years.
- →Qualifying condition: must invest at least €500,000 in Greece (real estate, securities, or business).
- →Break-even: if your annual foreign income tax liability would exceed €100k, HNWI is cheaper.
- →Greek-source income taxed at standard Greek progressive rates (9%–44%) on top of the €100k flat.
Greece's High Net Worth Individual (HNWI) regime, introduced in 2019, allows qualifying non-Greek residents who transfer their tax residency to Greece to pay a flat annual tax of €100,000 on all their foreign-source income — regardless of the actual amount.
If you earn €5 million in dividends abroad and move to Greece under this regime, you pay €100,000 flat. Full stop.
This makes it potentially the most powerful special regime for very high-income individuals in the EU.
Who Qualifies?
To apply for the HNWI regime, you must:
- 1Not have been a Greek tax resident for 7 out of the 8 years preceding the year of application.
- 2Invest at least €500,000 in Greece in real estate, Greek securities, or an operating business. (Family members can aggregate contributions toward this threshold.)
The regime lasts for 15 years and can be terminated voluntarily. It cannot be renewed or extended after the 15-year period.
What the €100,000 Covers
The flat €100,000 annual tax applies to ALL foreign-source income:
- Dividends from foreign companies
- Capital gains from foreign securities
- Foreign rental income
- Foreign interest income
- Foreign pension income
- Any other foreign-source income
Greek-source income is taxed at standard Greek progressive rates (9%–44%) in addition to the flat fee.
Family Members
Spouses and children of the HNWI applicant can also be covered under the regime by paying an additional €20,000 per family member per year.
Break-Even Analysis
The regime makes financial sense if your annual foreign-source income would generate more than €100,000 of Greek income tax at standard rates.
Standard Greek rates: 9%–44% progressive on income above €0.
At €100,000 of foreign income: standard tax ≈ €24,000. HNWI costs €100,000 → standard rates win. At €300,000 of foreign income: standard tax ≈ €113,000. HNWI flat €100,000 → HNWI wins by €13,000. At €1M+ foreign income: standard tax ≈ €430,000+. HNWI flat €100,000 → saving €330,000/year.
Alternative Regime: Foreign Pensioners (7% Flat)
Greece also offers a separate regime for foreign pensioners transferring their pension income: 7% flat tax on all foreign pension and other foreign-source income for 15 years. Qualifying conditions similar (not Greek resident for 5 of prior 6 years). No minimum investment required.
Application Process
File with the Greek Tax Authority (AADE) by the end of the tax year for which you want the regime to apply. Documentation required: proof of prior non-residency, evidence of the qualifying investment, standard tax registration.
Source: Greek Tax Authority AADE (aade.gr); Hellenic Parliament Law 4172/2013, as amended by Law 4607/2019; OECD 2026.